Page 39 of Dear Mr. Vampire

After welcoming the deejay and introducing Chanel to our celebrity and his entourage, I took her over to a table at the bar in the VIP section. We sat, and I waited for someone to take our drink order. Through a crowd of clubbers dancing, I could see my head of security. Natasha was approaching our table. She was good at her job, so I could see her mind at work. Her instinctswere impeccable. Since she’d been in her position, there hadn’t been any serious incidents at The Castle.

In seconds, she was at our table. Natasha leaned down and placed her face at my ear. “Sir, you have an important phone call in your office.” She took a step away from the table and glared at me.

I gave Natasha a pensive look. “Is it?”

“Yes.”

There were only a few people I deemed important enough for me to drop everything and accept calls from them. Chanel was the newest edition to that list, but she was here with me.

“Chanel, I have a call. I need to take it in my office where it’s quiet.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

I leaned over and gave Chanel a kiss on her cheek.

“I’ll be right back.” I stood.

“I’ll be here.” Chanel belted over the loud music.

“Natasha, stay with her.”

Natasha nodded her head once and took the seat I’d left. I hoped she didn’t ask Chanel too many questions. It was her personality to be intrusive.

I walked across the dancefloor and acknowledged the regular clubgoers that were familiar with me. I made it over to the hallway near the private elevator. I nodded at Jim as he took a step aside to let me pass. He was standing firm in the entryway of the halls that led to the elevator. I rode the elevator up to my office and mentally tried to prepare myself for this impending exchange because this conversation was inevitable. That didn’t mean I wanted to have it. My life was changing, and the past was the past.

I exited the elevator and walked down the hall to my office and sat my rear in the chair behind my desk. I removed a clean, empty glass from the shelf below my desk. Reaching on the same shelf, I grabbed a bottle of red wine. I twisted the cork, leaned back, and tilted the bottle up to my lips. I guzzled the liquiddown. I didn’t need the glass. I needed a drink before I took this call.

Removing the cordless phone from the base, I took the call off of hold with a tap of a button. I placed the phone on the desk and put the call on speaker.

Leaning back in my chair. “Hello, this is Alexander.”

“Son.” His voice and cadence hadn’t changed.

“Father.”

“How are you doing in your new city?” His slight Irish accent seeped in and out of his words.

“I’m doing well, living.” I tried to sound casual when this call was completely the opposite of casual.

“I wanted to share the good news.”

“Good news.”

“Your brother has left the country.”

This wasn’t newsworthy, but I played along. “When?”

“I think it’s been a month or so now.”

“Why?” I wasn’t sure I cared, but he could be running from something.

“He said he wants a change of scenery. You know he’s always been a nomad.”

“He has.” But I knew there had to be more to the story.

“I’ve written to you with my sincere apologies.”

“You have.”

---